Off the Hook
by ynnej2198
Summary: What if Joey regrets letting Pacey go in Love Bites after he resolves to move forward from all things Capesidian? Alternate S6 ending explores what happens when Pacey doesn't lose Dawson's money and ends up a millionaire stockbroker. PJo angst, romance and fun. [PT 1 complete; Pt 2 WIP]
1. Chapter 1

Joey stood a Pacey's door, hand poised to knock, but she didn't. Again. "This is crazy." she muttered to herself. It's just Pacey. And she really needed to talk to him. After what she dubbed as Prom II, they hadn't spoken. She was busy studying for finals and trying to get her relationship with Eddie back on track and she figured he needed some time to deal with her decision. But, his friendship meant a lot to her and she missed him terribly. It was selfish, she knew, to expect him to fall back into their friendship like nothing happened, but she needed him. That much was still as true now as it was on The Longest Day (Ever). Before she could stop herself, she reached up and knocked.

When she got no immediate answer, she knocked again. Joey knew it was pretty late, but she saw the lights on as she left Hell's Kitchen. She she figured he was still up since Jen told her Jack was crashing at Gram's with her tonight. Joey was about to give up when she heard a breathy "Just a minute!" from the other side of the door and smiled in spite of herself. God, she missed his voice.

When the door opened, it revealed a half-naked Pacey on the other side. Clad only in jeans that were unbuttoned and barely zipped with the waistband of his boxers peeking out, he whispered her name in shock. Then, "What are you doing here?"

Joey fidgeted. "I, ah, was hoping we could talk for a few minutes."

Pacey hesitated a moment and then stepped out of the way so she could enter. After she was inside, he closed the door and walked to the kitchen island. He leaned against it crossed his arms over his naked torso, which was more defined than she remembered from seeing it briefly over spring break last year. Her mouth went dry and she momentarily forgot what she wanted to say.

"Jo," he said impatiently. "It's kinda late. What do you want?"

"I miss you, Pace," she admitted. "I miss our friendship."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I miss you, too, Joey. I just need some time, ok?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, disheartened.

He bowed his head for a moment and then when he looked up, Joey saw the pain in his eyes. "I need to live my own life for a while."

His statement caused Joey to flash back to their graduation party when he had said the same thing to her before hopping a plane to Miami to sail away. Joey's stomach dropped. What if he left again? "You aren't leaving are you?" she asked almost desperately.

He shook his head, "No, Joey. I don't run away. Not anymore. That's your shtick now."

Offended by his statement, Joey was about to object when he continued. "You'll never lose me as a friend, Jo, but I need some space. I think some distance from all things Capeside is what's best for me for a while."

"Why?"

Before he could answer her question, Joey heard a familiar female voice call his name from upstairs. "Pace," the woman purred, "Where are you? I'm getting lonely."

Joey gasped as Sadia Shaw padded down the spiral staircase dressed only in one of Pacey's plain t-shirts. When Sadia reached the first floor, she noticed Joey but passed right by her and sidled up to Pacey, leaning into his body. He lifted a hand from his side and placed it lightly on her back. "I just need a minute," he said softly, nodding in Joey's direction. "I'll be up then."

Sadia nodded and stepped out of his embrace. On her way back, she looked at Joey and paused. Then she glanced between them, seemed to have a realization, and said, "I guess your loss is my gain." Without another word, she climbed the stairs.

When Joey turned back to Pacey, she was fuming. Clearly he had burned The Reporter's name and number into his memory. She was about to open her mouth to let him have it when he held up a finger.

"Don't," he said, with an unequivocal note of hardness in his voice. "You lost the right to comment on my personal life when you dumped me, Jo."

"So, what?" she asked, exasperated. "I can't be concerned for my friend when I see he is making a self-destructive mistake?"

"No _._ "

"Pace, this isn't you."

He crossed his arms defensively. "Would I prefer to be with a woman I love rather than have a meaningless fling? Yes. _But that's not going to happen_. I've finally accepted it. And I've decided to move on with my life."

Joey reeled back from his declaration as if slapped. Why did she feel like she was being let off the hook by Pacey? She was still trying to process what he said when he moved to the door. Hand on the doorknob, he said, "Good luck on your finals, Jo. I hope you have a fun summer in Capeside. I'll be back to visit a few weekends here and there, so maybe we'll catch up then, ok?"

When he opened the door, Joey forced herself to move toward it. "Bye, Pace," was the only thing she could think to say.

When she walked through it, he closed it softly behind her, which was louder than any slam could have been.

* * *

Two days later when Dawson phoned Pacey at work to sell the Stepotech stock, he tried to convince him to keep it; but, Dawson was adamant, so he sold the shares. Pacey had a feeling the company was going to take off once the FDA approval went through, but he didn't want to be responsible for losing Dawson's nest egg in the event it didn't. The last thing he needed right now was to be blamed for ruining the guy's life - again. Given how spectacularly he failed when crossing business and personal boundaries with Joey during their little redux, he decided that he would set some clear boundaries with Dawson as well. The next time he got back to Capeside, probably Memorial Day, he planned to talk to him about having someone else in the company take over his brokerage account. After seeing Joey last night, he knew a clean break regarding blurred lines with the Capeside Bunch would be best.

Pacey meant what he said to her. He would prefer to be with her, the woman he loves, but he was done with hanging on to possibility when none exists. For now, he'd enjoy his arrangement with Sadia and further his career. He never planned to be a broker, but he liked it and was damn good at it, too. None of his friends understand what this job - no career - means to him and his future. Sure, working 60 hours a week sucks sometimes, but it will give him more freedom in the end. With the money he was bound to make, he could live comfortably and maybe even buy a new boat or invest in his own restaurant someday. Sailing and cooking were pretty much everything that mattered to him anymore anyway. The broker life wasn't perfect, but it got him one step closer his perfect life every day.


	2. Chapter 2

Joey was actually glad to be home. The past few weeks were an emotional roller coaster. Her visit with Pacey and his plea for space and time had devastated her more than she cared to admit. She knew Pacey meant what he said about their friendship surviving in the end, but she hated not being able to do anything about it in the meantime. And then she and Eddie got in a huge fight when she wouldn't run away to Europe with him for the summer and he left her - again. At least this time he left a note that said "Goodbye", so she was thankful for that. She had liked him, but not enough to ditch her entire life. Only one person ever made her want to do that. Would ever make her want to do that.

There was a script on her doorstep when she returned to the B&B. She and Dawson had called a truce back at Christmas but hadn't interacted much since then. After reading the script, she went to see him and they began rebuilding their friendship. Joey was shocked to see that he'd turned his room back to what it was when they were 15 for the movie. Talk about an acid flashback.

As he was walking Joey out, Gail stopped them. "Dawson, did you see this?" she asked happily as she held the newspaper in her hand.

"See what?"

"There is an article in today's financial section of the _Boston Globe_ about Pacey and his firm. Apparently some FDA approval went through for one of their high profile companies and they made a fortune on it." She handed him the paper and said, "Good for Pacey. I'll bet he is ecstatic," as she walked into the kitchen.

Joey saw Dawson read the article, mouth agape. "Sonofabitch," he muttered.

"What?" Joey asked confusedly as he ran to the phone.

He held up a finger to shush her while he dialed a number. "Yes, can I speak to Pacey Witter please?"

There was a pause and then Joey heard, "Pace. It's me. Did you sell that stock?" Another pause followed by a disgruntled. "No, I haven't checked my email. I've been a bit busy here." Then, "Yeah, okay. Talk to you then."

When he hung up, Dawson pinched the bridge of his nose and let loose a string of expletives she didn't know was possible.

"Dawson? What's going on?"

"Pacey sold my Stepotech stock before the approval went through."

"Oh, that sucks. Did you ask him to or did he do it on his own?"

"I asked him to, but with the way he tried to get me to keep it, I wasn't sure he would." He sank down to the couch. "Damn, I'm so screwed."

"How exactly are you screwed Dawson?"

"Now I'm stuck waiting tables at my mom's restaurant until all the conservative investments he funneled the Stepotech money into make anything. Who knows how long that will take?! I really wanted to make the movie this summer."

Joey shook her head in disbelief. Was Dawson always this much of a tool? "So you're mad because Pacey did what you asked him to when you asked him to do it? How exactly is any of this Pacey's fault?"

"Has he ever cared about what I wanted in the past?" Dawson asked pointedly. "The Pacey I know would have been determined to prove he was right and sat on those shares hoping to be my hero."

"Well, he isn't the same Pacey anymore." And we did that to him, she added silently.

Having no energy to argue with a brick wall, Joey left Dawson with a promise to figure out how to still make his movie on $10 and a dream this summer.

As soon as she was out the door, though, she left a message at Pacey's apartment congratulating him on his accomplishment.

* * *

Pacey shook his head as he finally packed up for the day. Why was he always between a rock and a hard place when it came to Dawson? If he held onto the shares and the stock tanked, Dawson would have blamed him for making him go broke. He sold the shares, just like he asked, and now somehow Pacey was a jerk for screwing him out of a fortune. This is why he needed clear boundaries when it came all people Capsidian. Because he can't seem to win no matter what he does.

"Yo, Witter, you coming?" Rich Rinaldi called from outside his office. "We're hitting the clubs tonight, man!"

"Yeah," he replied. He had celebrating to do. All he wanted to think about tonight was whether he'd use his new fortune to upgrade his car, buy his own place, or get a new boat. Or, fuck, maybe he'd just do all three.


	3. Chapter 3

Pacey was going home to Capeside for the holiday only because Gail was throwing Grams, Jen and Jack a going away party. They were moving to New York next week with Jen's mom so Grams could get treatment for her cancer. Pacey was sad to see them leave Boston, but he completely understood their need to move forward.

He had planned to drive down in his Dodge Viper, but decided at the last minute to sail his new boat, _Freedom_ , down instead. He wanted the time to enjoy the fruits of his labor and sailing was the best way to do that. Plus, he planned to enter the annual regatta tomorrow and kick some serious ass. His dad of all people was going to help him. Who'd have thunk that?

After the regatta there was a party at the Yacht Club. When Dean Kublick found out what Pacey was up to thanks to the newspaper article, he invited him to come to the party so they could catch up. Pacey hesitated at first knowing the Joey might very well be working the party, but, ultimately he said yes. It was too good of a networking opportunity to pass up. Plus, he vowed to no longer make decisions for his life based on what Joey or Dawson would want him to do. They didn't seem to care when they stomped all over his feelings, so why should he design his life around theirs? Pacey would never be intentionally cruel, but maybe taking the road less traveled forced him to grow up and realize he deserved to put his well being first for a change.

* * *

Joey was chatting with Jen, Jack, Grams and Bessie at the B&B before they headed over to the party when Jen got a text. A surprised "Holy Crap," escaped Jen's lips, causing everyone to stare.

"What's up?" Jack asked.

"Apparently Pacey is sailing his new boat down instead of driving," she said. "He just texted me: _Lindley. You'll love this boat so much even you'll wanna go down with her."_

"He bought a boat?" Joey asked, dumbfounded.

Jack chimed in. "And a house. And a Viper." He grabbed a chip from the bowl in the center. "Oh, and Bertha II."

"Exactly how much money did he make on that stock?" Bessie asked, flabbergasted.

Jack shrugged. "I think he said nearly a million. I was helping him pick out Bertha II so wasn't paying much attention."

Everyone's eyes bugged out at that.

"Dollars?" Joey asked.

"No, rubles," Jack said sarcastically with an eye roll between bites of his food.

Joey looked around the room at everyone's stunned expressions over Pacey becoming an overnight millionaire. When she burst out laughing uncontrollably, everyone stared at her.

"What's so funny Joey?" Jen asked.

Joey wiped her eyes of the tears that had formed and laid a hand over her heart to calm herself. "Dawson made him sell his shares of Stepotech right before the approval," she answered.

At that, everyone else burst out laughing, too. There was something to be said for irony.


	4. Chapter 4

When Pacey docked in Capeside, he was surprised to see a welcoming committee consisting of Jen, Jack, Joey, Bessie, Doug, his dad, and even Joey. When he got close enough, he threw the line to Doug to tie it to the dock and then jumped off. He ran over to Jen, draped his arm over her shoulders, and pulled her into him. "So, Lindley, whadd'ya think? Up for a re-do in this baby?"

Jen gasped. "That's one boat I'd even be happy to go down with. Damn, Pace. You done good."

"Thanks, Jen." he said, happily.

One-by-one everyone came over to check out _Freedom_ , which was considerably bigger than _True Love_ , but not as big as the boat he stayed on last year. The only reason he hadn't gotten one exactly like the dean's was because he still wanted to sail alone, which he couldn't do on a boat that big.

"Hey, Jo," he said when he reached her. "How've you been?"

"Not as well as you, apparently, Pace. That's some boat." Joey replied.

"Thanks."

"Maybe you and I can go out sometime?" she asked tentatively.

"Maybe," was all he could commit to.

Everything with Joey was still really raw and Pacey wasn't sure sailing with her right now was the best idea.

* * *

Later that evening, the party was in full swing out on Gail's lawn when Joey went in the house to use the restroom upstairs. She was in the hallway about to go back down when she heard Pacey and Dawson arguing downstairs. "I don't know what you want from me, man?" Pacey said frustratedly. "I did exactly what you insisted I do but you're still pissed at me?"

"Why didn't you try harder to talk me out of selling?" Dawson whined. "I really could have used that money."

"I did try to talk you out of it, Dawson, but you didn't trust me enough to rescind your request. I can't go against a sales order. I'd risk my 7 if I did that."

"Your what?" Dawson asked, confused.

"My license. You know - the one you think I apparently found in the bottom of a Cracker Jack box."

"I don't think that, Pace." Dawson hurried to say. "I just… Ah, I'm so damn frustrated. That money would have covered the entire cost of the movie and then some. Now I'm stuck waiting tables until the other investments grow."

"Look, man, I'm sorry you missed out. I really am. But I can't do anything about it."

From her vantage point, Joey saw Dawson's face light up. "You could invest in the movie!"

At that suggestion, Pacey went rigid. "Sorry, man, I can't."

"Why the hell not?" Dawson asked angrily.

"Because I need to keep clearer boundaries in place from now on. No more mixing business and friendship."

Dawson went to speak, but Pacey stopped him. "Speaking of which. I'm going to refer your account to one of my colleagues, Justin. He's a good guy and he'll take care of you."

"So? What? You're completely ditching me now?" Dawson asked angrily.

"I have to. It's the only way we can salvage our friendship."

When Dawson asked, "What friendship?" Joey gasped and put a hand to her mouth in shock.

Pacey threw his hands up in defeat. "I guess we haven't really been friends in a long time, have we? We've been co-existing, tolerating each other for the sake of the group. But, you know what, D? I'm over it. Jen and Jack are moving to New York, Joey's at Worthington and you're in the middle of yet another identity crisis here in Capeside at the ripe old age of 20. Maybe it's just not worth it anymore."

"So, what? Now that you're rich, we're not good enough for you?" Dawson spat.

"That's not what this is and you know it. I'm just tired of being your scapegoat. Life happens Dawson. Not everything is about you and I'm sick of living like it is. Hell, the only tie that even really binds us anymore is that we're both still in love with same woman."

"That's what it all boils down to, doesn't it?"

"I'm sorry you got hurt, Dawson, but so did I. You were _always_ in the middle of our relationship and it ended up destroying us. So, as far as I'm concerned, we're even. And I'm done. I'll have Justin give you a call on Tuesday."

Pacey then walked by him and out the door. When Dawson turned toward the stairs, Joey tiptoed quickly back to the bathroom and shut the door so he wouldn't see her. What the hell just happened?


	5. Chapter 5

Joey put her hand up to her face to shield her eyes from the blinding sun as she watched Pacey and his dad race in the regatta. Beside her, Jen and Jack were still processing the details she'd shared about Pacey's fight with Dawson, minus the love part, of course. She was too busy processing that herself. During Prom II, Pacey had said he could love her again, not that he still did. And, if he did love her, then she pretty much broke his heart the same way he broke hers their senior year. Joey didn't know what to do with all of that. At the moment, she was just happy Pacey was still speaking to her.

"I can't believe…" Jen said just as Jack finished with, "that he finally did it."

"You know, the way you two finish each other's sentences freaks me out sometimes." Joey commented lightheartedly. Then, "What do you mean by finally?"

"Stood up for himself with Dawson," Jen stated. "I'm so proud of him. Our loveable punk has grown up."

"Yeah," Jack chimed in. "He's been taking Dawson's crap way too long. No offense, Jo, but you both blindsided Dawson junior year, yet he only keeps making Pacey pay for it."

Joey thought back to the knock down, drag out fight she and Dawson had after their one night stand. "Oh, believe me, Jack. I still pay for it, too. There's no statute of limitations when it comes to Dawson's hurt feelings."

Their conversation was halted when Pacey crossed the finish line first and they all cheered.

The three of them met him by the dock and offered him quick congratulations, but he was pulled away by his dad to go collect the trophy. Afterward, they were all standing around listening to Pacey give them a play-by-play of the race when a blonde woman came up to the group. The woman smiled at him and said, "Glad to see my perfect sailor boy is still in there, Pace."

Pacey smiled his megawatt smile and pulled her into a bear hug. "Melanie Shea Thompson, as I live and breathe. How are you girl?" He spun her around a moment and then added, "Man, it's good to see you."

When he put her down, she laid a hand on his chest, a little too familiar for Joey's liking, "Good to see you, too, Pace."

When they stepped back, he turned to them and introduced her. "Everyone, this is Mel. Mel, this is, well, everyone."

Melanie gave a confident wave. "It's nice to meet you all."

"So, what are you doing here, Mel?"

"I'm here for my uncle's party tonight. You're coming right?"

Pacey glanced over at Joey uncomfortably and then looked back to Melanie, smile back intact. "Yeah, I'll be there."

"So, do you need a date?"

He looked over at his friends with an amused expression, "All it took was a million bucks."

"What can I say, Pace, I'm a total gold digger," Melanie joked.

He reeled back in mock offense. "And here I thought you loved me for my body."

She eyed him up and down like he was the last bottle of water in the Sahara. "Well that, too, I guess."

He pulled her to his side and placed a quick kiss on the top of her head. "God, I missed you, Mel."

She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Me, too, Pace." Then she looked at _Freedom_ and asked, "There's time before the party. Can we take her out?"

"Sure, why not?" He then turned to the rest of them, "Thanks for coming you guys. It meant a lot. Mel and I are gonna go catch up. I'll see you tomorrow for our sail, yeah?"

Joey plastered a smile on her face and nodded as Jen and Jack finalized their plans for tomorrow's sail. When they were done, Pacey turned to Mel, "Wanna go?"

"Lead the way," she said happily and the two walked hand in had down the dock toward his new boat. Pacey helped Melanie onto the boat, untied the line, and then jumped in himself.

As the two sailed off, Doug, who had been talking with Pacey's dad, came up behind them. "And the famous Melanie Shea Thompson returns."

"Who's she?" Joey asked before she could stop herself.

"Dean Kublick's niece."

"So the gold digger thing was a joke?" Jack asked curiously.

Doug nodded. "Mel is a second year law student at Harvard. She's got her own goldmine to dig in if she needs money."

"So, then, who is she to Pacey?" Jen asked.

Doug looked at Joey warily and then back to the group. "A friend."

Joey wasn't stupid. She knew exactly what kind of "friend" Melanie was to Pacey. It's not like she'd never seen Pacey with "friends" before, but somehow this felt different. The banter. The looks. The affection. Joey knew he really cared about this one. And, given the recent changes in his life, that scared her.

Joey bucked up, determined not to cry in front of her friends. "So, who wants some ice cream?"


	6. Chapter 6

Joey arrived at the Yacht Club for her shift, but was reassigned by Mrs. Valentine to a private party being held by the Dean at the last minute. The witch even made Drue, who was back from college in Chicago for the summer, work it, too. Joey went through the motions of setting up as she pondered the situation with Pacey. Since that night in his apartment, she'd seen a real change in him. He had always talked a good game about looking to the future, but now he was actually doing it. And his newfound fortune was helping him. Money changed him, but not in a bad way. He wasn't cocky and arrogant like his smarmy boss Rich Rinaldi, he was just more confident, secure and charming. He was leaving their little Capeside world behind and finding his place in the one Out There. Hell, Joey couldn't blame him. She wanted the same thing. But, if she thought about it, she didn't like being left behind. Pacey was as much, if not more, a part of her than Dawson. So, if he moved on, where did that leave her?

Joey had finished setting up and was standing by the kitchen watching the guests as they arrived. She was readying a tray of champagne when Drue elbowed her in the arm. "Well, this party just got way more interesting, Potter."

Joey looked up to see what had grabbed his attention to see Pacey greeting Dean Kublick with Melanie on his arm. Melanie was wearing a tight but tasteful red cocktail dress and Pacey was dressed in a suit that probably cost more than her entire wardrobe with a red tie that perfectly coordinated with Melanie's dress. "Nice try, Drue, but I already knew they were going to be here." Not technically here at the club, but he didn't know that.

"I heard your ex is really moving up in the world. And, apparently, leaving the lot of you Capesidians in the dust as he does it." Drue said smugly as Joey saw Pacey affectionately grab Melanie's hand as they talked with her uncle. At that, Joey suppressed a growl of frustration.

Joey figured the best thing to do is to bite the bullet, so, tray in hand, she walked over to the small group, smiled, and offered them drinks. Dean Kublick greeted her amiably. "Joey, so good to see you again. How are you? How's Worthington treating you?"

"I'm well, thanks Dean Kublick. I'm enjoying Worthington a lot, but I'm also glad to be home for the summer."

"Excellent," he said, then he turned toward Melanie. "Have you met my niece, Melanie. She's in town for the weekend."

Joey smiled, "We met earlier today. Nice to see you again."

Melanie smiled back. God, why did her smile have to be so genuine? She couldn't even hate her on principle. Then Joey turned to Pacey. "Hey, Pace. How was your sail?"

He cleared his throat. "It was good, thanks."

"I heard you got a boat of your own, Pacey. Congratulations. I know what that means to you."

He smiled brightly. "Thanks Dean Kublick."

"What's with this Dean stuff? Call me Walter," he said as he slapped him lightly on the shoulder. The dean paused a moment, looked around the room, and then said, "Hey, you know what, there are a few people I want you to meet." He turned to Melanie. "Mind if I steal him, Mel?"

"No, go ahead." she said lightly.

Once they were gone, Joey and Melanie stood there awkwardly a moment. Joey recovered first, "Would you like a drink?"

Melanie shook her head. "No, not right now. Thanks." She looked around the room and took a deep breath. "Well, I'd better go mingle. Pray for me, will you?"

Joey smiled despite herself. "That bad?"

"God, I hate this stuff, but it's part of the deal." She nodded toward Pacey. "But, Pace, he's a natural. Just look at him over there charming the money right out of the wallets of all those old geezers."

Joey thought back to the party they'd attended here together their senior year when he helped charm her a spot at Worthington. "That he is," she agreed wistfully. "Well, I'd better get back to it…"

"It was nice to see you again, Joey. Take care." With that, Melanie walked away and blended seamlessly into the crowd.

With a last look at Pacey, Joey went back to circulating.

* * *

Pacey stepped out onto the balcony and walked toward the railing, taking a deep breath of the salt air he loved so much. The party had been going really well. While some of the guests were pretentious snobs who were only accepting of him because of his lofty job and newly acquired fortune, many of them were genuinely nice. He glided from conversation to conversation with ease, talking about everything from his boat, to sports, to what he thought the Market was up to. The past year at the firm had helped him grow in confidence being around the elite; but, since the Stepotech win, he knew he deserved to be here. Not because of the money, but because he'd earned it using his skills, intuition, and determination.

There had been an awkward moment at the beginning for the night when he arrived with Melanie and ran into Joey, but he'd made a conscious effort to steer clear of her as much as possible the rest of the evening. The last thing he wanted to do is rub any of his new success in her face and make her feel uncomfortable.

Lost in his thoughts, he heard a throat clear behind him. When he turned around, he saw Joey. "Hey, Pace," she said quietly.

"Hey…" Not sure what else to say, he trailed off. He couldn't say it was a great party because she was working it. This guest/staff stuff was more awkward than the boss/employee stuff they went through a few months ago.

"I saw you come out here and I just wanted to say how proud I am of you."

"Huh?"

"You're great in there, Pace. A real natural at the networking thing." She laughed softly. "Turns out the Witter charm comes in handy for something other than picking up girls."

With that, the ice was broken and he laughed. "Who knew, right?"

Joey came up to the railing beside him and put her hands on it. "The road less traveled suits you. I've never seen you this confident and secure. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Joey."

"You're welcome." Then, "So Jackers told me you bought a Dodge Viper."

"Beamers are for guys like Rinaldi. I'm a broker, but I'm not _that guy_ and I never will be - or at least I hope I don't ever turn into him. The Viper on the other hand…"

"Says 'teenage fantasy come true'." Joey finished.

"Hell yeah," he said on a laugh. "Man, I can't believe you remember that."

Joey pulled herself toward the railing, looked down at the water, and then rocked back. She turned her head and looked at him, a mixture of emotions in her eyes. "I remember everything."

Pacey's breath caught, shocked by her admission. He looked at her, questions he was afraid to verbalize in his eyes. What did she mean by that?

Abruptly, she turned her face away and then nodded her head to the party. "I have to get back. I'll see you tomorrow, Pace."

"See ya, Joey," he said to her retreating form. When Melanie came outside to get him so they could leave, he went with her.


	7. Chapter 7

Joey, Jack and Jen stood impatiently on the dock. "Where do you think he is?" Jen asked.

"Ladies, chill. He's only a couple minutes late. The only thing he's ever on time for is work and dates," Jack said, relaxed.

There was a third thing Pacey was never late for, thought Joey. Sailing. The man never missed a minute out at sea if he could help it. "I hope he's okay."

Just then, they heard a loud crash in the boathouse and Joey knew he was perfectly fine. Guess he made a habit of groping girls in boathouses. She crossed her arms and growled. "He's fine, guys," she grumbled as she nodded in the direction of the boathouse.

Jack snickered and Jen rolled her eyes, but not before exchanging glance of female solidarity with Joey. Joey shrugged and said, "Clearly money hasn't changed him."

A minute later, Pacey emerged from the boathouse looking all kinds of scrumptious in a pair of Hawaiian swim trunks and a black tank. "Sorry about that guys," he said as he approached. "Had to ah…"

Joey arched an eyebrow, wondering what excuse he'd cook up for the others as she watched Melanie leave out of the corner of her eye from street entrance, clothes askew. When he continued to flounder for an excuse, Joey took pity on him. "No problem, Pace. Let's just head out."

They exchanged a secret smile and then she went to step onto the boat, but Pacey stopped her with an arm out. "You don't board a man's boat without permission, Potter. You know better than that."

"I know better, Pace. I just don't feel like asking."

Joey stuck out her tongue and then boarded the boat. She sat her stuff down and then went about the task of helping Pace launch the boat.

* * *

As Pacey and Joey worked together silently to ready the boat for launch, Jen exchanged a glance with Jack. "I'll bet they don't even realize they're doing this," she whispered.

"Probably not," he whispered back. "When the hell are they gonna give in to the inevitable?"

"Who knows? They're both too busy running from the past to see the future staring them in the face."

Right before they pulled away, they heard a voice shouting. "WAIT UP, GUYS!"

"Is that Dawson?" Jack asked.

Knowing it was, Jen watched Pacey and Joey freeze and look up tentatively. The smiles they had been wearing a moment ago were replaced by wariness.

When Dawson reached the end of the dock, he asked. "So, ah, do you have room for one more?"

Joey looked at Pacey and shrugged, indicating it was his decision. Interesting.

"Sure, Dawson, hop in," Pacey said.

When he did, he greeted her, Joey, and Jack and then turned toward Pacey. The two stood silent a moment staring at each other, tension evident. Then Dawson said, "Great boat, Pace."

He laughed. "If you like this, wait till you see the Viper."

"Whatever you do, don't let Joey drive," Dawson advised with a chuckle.

"It's stick. She couldn't even if she wanted to," Pacey volleyed, amused.

Joey gave them the finger and said, "Well, if I can't drive stick, that's more of a reflection on my teachers than me."

And Jen let out a breath she'd been holding for the past three years.


	8. Chapter 8

A couple of hours later, Pacey was grilling burgers on the portable propane grill he'd brought when an idea came to him. "I got it!" he shouted.

Jen, Joey, Jack and Dawson looked up from their game of cards. "Got what?" Joey asked.

"I know how to get Dawson's movie made this summer." The idea just came to him as he was grilling. Grilling and sailing. Two things guaranteed to relax him enough to get him thinking creatively.

"Do tell," Joey prodded.

"Okay. So, what you need to do is combine your nest egg from Todd with what you have left of Mr. Brook's money, and then you can go talk to people in town and around Boston about investing in you, Dawson."

"Why don't you invest, Pace?" Jack asked as he munched on a chip.

"Dawson and I discussed that and we decided it's probably not the best idea. Business with pleasure and all that," Pacey said addressing Jack but looking at Joey, memories of their day in his office on his mind. When she blushed, he knew she thought the same thing. "But that doesn't mean I won't help raise the money via my patented Witter Charm."

Joey clapped. "I think that's a great idea! We could get Harley, Patrick and their friend Jonathan to play in it. Audrey could be Ms. Jacobs…" Pacey guffawed at that, effectively cutting her off. Joey gave him a warning look and then added, "And Jack and Jen could help secure the equipment on loan from Vis Arts."

Jen added, "Oh, and you could email the script to Todd, Dawson. Maybe he'd send some help."

"I could even stay and take a couple days off work to help you out, man," Pacey said. Since Stepotech, I've been moved to the bottom of Rich's _People To Fire Today_ list.

Jen and Jack looked at each other. "And we can definitely stay the rest of the week before heading to New York. Grams has appointments, but she can go ahead of us and spend some time with my mom."

Pacey waited while Dawson thought it over. "It could work. Thanks a lot, man."

Then, just to remind Dawson he wasn't the only one with skeletons in his closet, he threw out another suggestion. "Maybe Mel can play Eve. That is if Lindley isn't up for it." he added with a wink.

Jen took a sip of her soda and said, "Sadly, Eve didn't make the cut."

* * *

Joey watched everyone walk up the dock to their cars from the deck of Freedom.

"That's a nice thing you did today, Pace."

He shrugged. "Dawson made an effort, so I figured I'd make one, too."

"He probably won't thank you the way he should, so I'm going to do it for him."

"And just how do you think I should be thanked, Miss Josephine?" he said as he cleaned up the remnants of their party.

"Hmm. Let me think about that..." Joey knew how she'd like to thank him, but she didn't know if it was the best idea especially since their recent confusing run of things. But she couldn't stop oogling him all day in his trunks and tank.

"Well, while you do, can you grab the plates and bring them down to the galley so I can wash them?"

"Sure." Joey grabbed the dirty dishes and followed Pacey down into the cabin. "When I'm down here, it makes me realize how small _True Love_ was," she said as she took them to Pacey and he began to wash them.

He laughed softly. "I'm still amazed I didn't get thrown off the boat."

"Me, too," Then she confessed, "Your hair saved you from many a salt water bath."

He paused from washing the dishes. "My hair?"

Joey smiled. "Yeah, the buzz cut. I've always liked that the best."

"I never realized you liked it so much," he shared. As he dried the dishes he finished washing, he added, "You always complained that you couldn't run your fingers through it. So that's why I grew it back out."

"For me?" Joey asked, breathless.

He sat the plate he was drying down and then turned to face her. "Pretty much everything I did back then was for you, Jo."

"And now?" she asked.

"And now I do it for me. Because when you live your life for someone else, you lose yourself and end up hurting the very person you can't live without." He looked away briefly. "The only way to break the pattern is to live your own life."

Joey cleared her throat and moved nervously to her bag. "I should go. I'll see you later, Pace."

"See you, Jo."


	9. Chapter 9

"Pa-cey! Where's my breakfast?" Doug shouted from the kitchen.

Pacey poked his newly-buzzed head into the kitchen. "What?" he asked, confused.

"My breakfast, Pace. My professionally prepared, mouth-watering culinary delight. Where is it?"

"I'm not gonna have time today, Dougie. I've gotta get going. Important stuff to be done while I'm here in Capeside." When Doug's face fell, Pacey tried to appease him, "But I left all the ingredients out for you."

"Not fair little brother. You promised that if I let you crash here for the week, you'd cook for me."

"And I will. Just not today." Pacey said as he finished buttoning up one of his more muted bowling shirts. The one thing he did like about Capeside was that he could dress in his outrageous wardrobe and no one cared. He didn't love the suits, but they were a means to an end. He recently started compensating for that by wearing funky ties that expressed his personality. While Rich hated it, the amount of money Pacey made for the firm kept him from nagging Pacey over it. Pacey's casual wardrobe in Boston was also more muted to account for unexpected run-ins with current or potential clients, but was still "him" - just a more expensive version.

"What are you doing anyway?" Doug asked.

"Raising money for Dawson's movie."

"Why? Can't you pretty much fund the whole thing and have plenty to spare?"

"I could, but I won't," Pacey stated as he poured a cup of coffee in one of Doug's travel mugs. "That will only end up biting me in the ass. This is the compromise that has the best chance of keeping the delicate balance in tact."

"I see," Doug said with a nod. "Helps keep that Hellmouth sealed."

Pacey chuckled wryly at his comment, recalling their jailhouse chat during what he dubbed The Valentine's Day Massacre. "Exactly."

Pacey grabbed his coffee and headed toward the living room. "You know, it wouldn't hurt you to learn to cook, Dougie. Chicks dig it," he said on a smile. He paused and turned back around, and unable to stop himself, he teased, "and those other guys too…"

At that, Doug rolled his eyes. His "Nice hair Pace," was his own subtle dig, letting Pacey know he knew he was still very much wrapped around Joey Potter's little finger.

Later that day, Pacey was talking to Jim, one of the local restaurant owners about investing and the two of them got into a conversation about the kitchen life. Jim invited him to do a walk-through of the kitchen as he prepared a to-go order, letting him know that he'd love to chat some more once the rush died down. The two were met at the podium by a beautiful woman who smiled at him as she handed Jim the money for the order. When he went to get her change, the woman said to Pacey, "You don't remember me, do you?"

He didn't, so he said, "No, sorry."

"You sure changed your pitch from this morning."

He recalled seeing her at the dentist's office. "The receptionist from the dentist's office! Sorry about that. I talked to a lot of people today."

The woman crooked her head. "Man, you really don't remember me, do you, Pacey?"

Feeling a little guilty, he asked, "No, I'm sorry. Should I?"

"Wow. What a blow to my ego," she said with a wry chuckle. "It's me. Kristi." When he still didn't put it together, she added, "Livingstone."

"Damn, sorry about that," he offered sincerely. "How about you let me make it up to you with a cup of coffee?"

"Sure. I'd like that."

He spent the next hour catching up with the woman who personified his teenage fantasy. It was surreal that she was here and talking to him - and flirting with him. When she got up to leave, Kristi wrote her phone number down and gave him the paper, urging him to call her. Pacey stared at the paper in awe as she walked out the door.

"Was that Kristi Livingstone?" He heard a familiar voice ask.

"Yeah, it was."

"Talking to you?"

He chuckled and then excitedly held up the paper to show Joey. "And flirting with me. She gave me her phone number."

"Another teenage fantasy come true for Pacey Witter."

He folded the paper and put it in his shirt pocket. "Right?!"

"How many is that now? Two?"

"Three," he said before he could stop himself. He cursed his big mouth as she gave Jim her name for her own takeout order. When she turned back to him, she asked cheerily, "and what was the third one?"

"You," he answered honestly, not wanting to lie to her.

She got wistful a moment, a slight frown on her face, but then recovered. "Nice to know that I'm held in as high of a regard as the Viper."

Feeling the need to leave this dangerous ground as much as her, he returned her banter with, "Not as high, Potter. But close."

Then they both laughed, the awkwardness gone.

"So how much did you get today?"

He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and slid it over to her. When she caught it, she opened it and looked inside, eyes bugged out in shock. "How much is in here, Pacey?"

"Around $8,000. And that's just the shopping district. I haven't even hit up the Yacht Club yet."

"Holy crap, Pace. Dawson and I combined only managed about $1,000," she said as she slid the envelope back to him. "How did you do that?"

"The Witter Charm, of course."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course."


	10. Chapter 10

The week flew by. Pacey hit up most of Capeside and called some of his more whimsical contacts in Boston about investing in Dawson and his movie and ended up raising enough that when combined with Dawson's existing funds would cover most of the production costs to create a respectable independent film that revolved around their sophomore year of high school. Jen and Jack were able to secure equipment on loan from Vis Arts while Joey blackmailed Rosemary's Baby and her boyfriend into acting in the movie. Todd ended up showing up to help Dawson shoot it and wound up in a fling with Audrey, who came into town to play Ms. Jacobs.

Pacey and Todd actually had some interesting discussions throughout the course of the week and the two agreed to a future meeting on how they might be able to work together to benefit each other. Pacey's knack for investing and Todd's Hollywood contacts had some interesting synergies he was excited to explore.

The week away gave Pacey some clarity, making him realize that he hated working for Rich. He didn't care for the way the guy did business. Pacey knew he'd gotten lucky with Stepotech. It could just as easily have gone the other way and he would have been the scapegoat, which didn't sit well with him. Whether Pacey's conversations with Todd amounted to anything or not, he was going to explore his options on how make his career work for him rather than being a slave to it.

It was really nice to work beside Joey and Dawson as they brought the script to life. He and Dawson had declared a draw on the past and were forging a new, albeit tentative, friendship. Just as he and Joey were trying to do. Though he was struggling on that front. Maybe one day he'd be able to not want to kiss her whenever he saw her.

He was loading _Freedom_ with the stuff he'd brought and some snacks for the return trip when he felt her approach. "Hey, Jo, what's up?" he asked without deviating from his task."

"I just wanted to, um, make sure you're all set for Boston."

He looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, I think so. This week away was actually really good for me. But, duty calls, so back to the city it is."

Joey brought a hand up to her hair and tucked a piece behind her ear nervously. "So, are we okay, Pace?"

Instead of answering, he walked to the edge of the boat and extended his hand to her.

She visibly relaxed at the gesture and then reached out and clasped it.

* * *

When they pulled up to the dock a few hours later, Pacey jumped out onto it and tied the line. When he held out his hand to help her down, Joey took it.

"Thanks for the sail, Pace. It was amazing." Being out on the sea alone with Pacey again was everything she had hoped it would be. Well, almost. The thing that was missing was the thing she'd stupidly thrown away.

He smiled, happiness evident on his face. "Yeah, it was."

"Well, I guess I should go so you can head back to Boston."

"Unfortunately, I do have to get back." Then, "Some of us work for a living," he teased.

Joey stuck her tongue out at him. "Like you even need to anymore, Pace."

"I like it, Jo. More than I expected. The rush is unbeatable."

"More than sailing? More than cooking?" she questioned concernedly, knowing how much he loved sailing and cooking.

"Not more. Just different."

"As long as you're happy, Pacey, then I'm happy for you," Joey said, meaning it. He deserved to be happy.

"I am… I'm really excited for the future. I haven't felt that way before."

Joey knew that his admission was a big deal. Back in high school, the future always scared Pacey because it was so uncertain. She, Dawson, Jen, Jack, and even Andie, all had theirs mapped out, at least for their college years. He never did. Pacey had lived most of high school one day at a time. The only thing Joey knew he was certain of was them, and, in the end, he didn't even have that.

"I envy you a little Pace. You're Out There, in the real world, living. The rest of us, we're treading water until our real lives start."

Pacey was silent a moment. Then he asked her to wait a moment while he jumped back onto the boat and disappeared into the cabin. When he came back out, he was holding an envelope and he gave it to her. "I got this for you."

She took the envelope, a little confused, given it wasn't Christmas or her birthday. "What's this?"

He smiled, though warily, and said, "Open it and find out."

When Joey opened the envelope, she saw a voucher for a first class round-trip ticket to Paris. "Pace, what is this?"

"You did so much for me, Jo. Hell, I wouldn't have even graduated high school without your help. And, I never said thank you. So, this," he said as he pointed to the ticket, "is my thank you gift to you."

Joey's emotions were all over the place. The only thing she ever wanted from Pacey was his love. And he gave her that. How did he not know what that meant to her? _Given that you just threw it back in his face a few months ago, do you have to wonder?_ a little voice inside her sniped. But, she was tempted. Paris. It was the dream she gave up for a boy across the creek. "I, ah, can't accept this Pacey. It's too much."

"Yes, you can, Joey," he said adamantly. "Go to Paris this summer. Don't spend it slaving away at the Club or watching movies in Dawson's room." When she opened her mouth to deny the part about Dawson, he reached out his index finger to halt her. "You know you will. He's the only one of us here, so you're bound to fall back into your patterns."

She crossed her arms and harrumphed, but he continued. " Cash in the ticket and use this summer as a stepping stone to the rest of your life. Find out who you are in the world Out There." He paused, took a deep breath, and then added, "Go and live your own life for a while."

When he said that sentence, he looked pained but resolute. In that moment Joey knew Pacey had given her this gift out of love. He loved her enough to encourage her to leave him. When Dawson had given her the $15,000 for Worthington, he'd said there were no strings attached, but she knew better. On some level, he wanted to keep her tied to him. But not Pacey.

Joey closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Pace. I can't tell you what this means to me."

He held on, squeezing her as if he was seeking to memorize the feel of her body against his, but then he released her. "Just keep in touch, Joey. Maybe send me a cheesy postcard or two. Or an e-mail."

She swiped a tear of happiness, and a tinge of sadness, from her eye and nodded. "I'll do that."

"You'd better." Then he tilted his head back toward the boat. "I have to…"

"I know."

"See ya, Joey." He smiled, nodded his head in goodbye, and then turned and walked back to the boat, untied the line, and jumped on.

Joey ran back to the edge of the deck and shouted his name.

"What?"

"Nice hair."

Pacey just winked at her and then started the engine and began steering the boat out of its slip.

 **END OF PART ONE**

 **Part 2 is coming soon and will pick up two years into the future. Joey comes back from Europe a changed woman and decides she wants Pacey back, but what if Pacey has moved on? [Part Two will be dedicated to those of us PJo fans who want Joey to chase Pacey for a change.] Part Two is a WIP, so bear with me on updates.**


	11. Chapter 11

Two years later...

As the train pulled into the station, Joey thought about all that had changed in the time she'd been gone.

Joey used the voucher Pacey gave her and went to Paris for the summer. Given that you could go from country to country in Europe the way you could state to state in the USA, Joey traveled a lot, seeing England, Scotland, Germany and Italy while she was there, and she had never felt so free in her entire life. Well, almost never. But she didn't think about that. She loved it so much in Europe, that she decided to stay. Joey withdrew from Worthington and enrolled at Oxford, where she completed her English degree. Throughout her time abroad, Joey had a few relationships, none of which were serious. She told herself that it was because she wasn't staying, but it was really because of Pacey. No matter where she went or what she did, her heart never strayed from the fixed point it attached to in high school. Now she was coming home to re-establish her life in the US. She didn't know yet where she would end up, but she didn't care. What her travels had taught her was the the degree was just a piece of paper. It was how you lived your life and who you shared it with that really mattered.

While Joey was traveling, she checked in with Pacey via e-mail and cheesy postcards. However, it turned out that the tabloids were the easiest way for her to keep tabs on him given that he was now, well, famous. He'd quit his job with Rich Rinaldi (thank you God) and went into a partnership with Todd Carr, starting a production company for independent movies. Pacey handled raising the money and Todd, who had cleaned up his act for the partnership, handled the films, occasionally directing a few himself. That didn't mean Pacey stopped investing in stocks. On the contrary, he had padded his net worth considerably by getting in on the ground floor of Google's IPO, as well as DreamWorks and a few others. He was now living in Los Angeles half of the year and spent the rest traveling to meet with investors. As a multi-millionaire entertainment executive, Pacey J. Witter was now considered one of Hollywood's most eligible bachelors, though it was lamented among the female population that he was seriously involved with one Miss Melanie Shea Thompson, of the Boston Thompsons. A fact which Joey hated.

Jen and Jack finished their degrees at NYU. With Gram's cancer in remission, Jen and CJ moved back to Boston where they co-owned and operated a crisis counseling center. Jack moved to Capeside and was teaching English and coaching the football team at their old high school. He was lamentably single.

Andie, who Joey had briefly met up with in Italy over last summer, had graduated from Harvard and was enrolled in medical school there. Whenever she was on break, she was in Italy, which, she said, made her feel more alive and free than anything else ever had.

Dawson. What could Joey say about Dawson? He had been upset when she told him she was leaving for Paris. He questioned what he would do without her, but she told him leaving was something she had to do for herself. They kept in touch, but it was sporadic at best. She learned from Bessie who learned from Gail that Dawson was living in Capeside and working at the restaurant while the movie they'd filmed the summer before she left was in the process of being developed for television by a fledgling new teen-oriented network. This was, in Dawson's words, no thanks to Pacey, who'd refused to budge on his boundaries despite his own Hollywood success. While he and Pacey had struck up a new friendship, Joey had a feeling that Dawson resented Pacey for his unwillingness to help launch his career.

As got ready to depart the train, Joey stared at the journal on her lap. It contained what no one else knew: that there was never a triangle between Pacey, her, and Dawson. In the journal, she detailed their teen angst at Capeside High School from her vantage point. She had spent the last few years hearing and seeing Dawson's take on it all and she wanted to flip the script. For now it was just for her and maybe Pacey, but she had dreams of a national bestseller young adult romance series that would, with any luck, outperform whatever teen soap Dawson came up with.

 _A/N: Pieces of Part 2 are written, but I think the structure will be different than what you expect. Bear with me. It will all make sense in the end. I promise._


	12. Chapter 12

Labor Day Weekend, 2005...

"If anyone can show just cause why these two should not be married today, speak now or forever hold your peace," the minister asked, rhetorically, because, no one really ever objected to weddings in Capeside.

He took a breath and was about to move on when he heard it. The words "I object," came out first as a whisper, so soft he almost thought he imagined it. Looking at the crowd of guests, he queried, "I'm sorry, did someone speak?"

Just as the question left his lips, a brunette woman in her early 20's at the end of the third row on the groom's side stood up. "Yes, I did," she admitted as she locked eyes with Pacey, the groom, who appeared to be shell-shocked by the objection.

"Do you have something to say, Miss?"

The woman ignored him and instead spoke directly to the groom. "Pace, please don't do this," she all but begged.

 **.** At her plea, the groom pulled his hands out of his intended's and turned to face her. "Jo, what are you doing?" he whispered harshly.

"Saving you from yourself, Pacey," she said as took a step to her side so she was out of the row and in the center aisle, shaking off the hand of the petite blonde woman sitting next to her. Then she walked towards him.

The groom turned toward the woman. "I don't want or need you to save me."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, clearly you do, Witter, because you're about to make the biggest mistake of your life."

"Marrying Melanie isn't a mistake," he said resolutely, arms now crossed defensively.

"It is when you're still in love with me," she stated.

At those words, one of the groomsman, Jack, he thought, moved to stand beside Pacey as the petite blonde woman and two other blonde people stood up and moved to stand by Joey. He heard whispers that all seemed to question what the brunette was doing while Jack laid a hand on Pacey's upper arm, whether it was to hold him back or to offer support, the minister didn't know. The rest of the guests were riveted on the exchange as the bride stood motionless in shock.

When the groom spoke again, all he said was, "Potter," in a warning tone.

The woman didn't back down, however. Instead, she mumbled something about the groom being a stubborn ass. The minister was about to suggest they move their discussion to a more private location when the groom shook off his groomsman's hand and walked toward the brunette. When he reached her, he ground out, "God, Joey, you're unbelievable. I specifically asked you not to do this, but here you are doing it anyway."

"Yeah, well, when have I ever listened to you before?" That got a round of chuckles out of the circle of people around them, but the groom was not amused. He said, "Go home, Joey," and then turned his back on her and began walking back to his bride.

The brunette faltered a moment and then shouted, "There was never a triangle!"

Pacey paused. Craning his neck, he looked back at her. "What?"

"It's always been you." The brunette looked apologetically at the blonde man standing among the circle and then turned her attention back to the groom. "I never loved Dawson the way I love you. What I had with him was an innocent love. One that's tied to my childhood. But, you, Pace, I fell head-over-heels in love with you. I needed you on a level I've never needed anyone. And that scared the shit out of me. I wasn't ready for it. But I am now. I know you're the love of my life, Pacey, and I don't want to live it without you beside me. I can't let you off the hook and wish you well while you marry someone else knowing that she will _never_ make you feel as alive as I do. So, I'm standing here asking you to please be the asshole and not the hero... Just this once."

After her declaration the groom turned around fully and faced the brunette woman again. The minister and the rest of the guests were silent as they waited with baited breath to hear his reply.

To be continued...


	13. Chapter 13

{But first, a flashback.}

3 months earlier…

"Pacey's here," were the first words out of Jen's mouth when she greeted her at the B&B. Jen, CJ, Jack and Andie were in town for Memorial Day weekend and staying there.

"Oh-Kay. Thanks for that. But I already knew he would be thanks to _Entertainment Tonight_."

"Melanie's with him."

"I assumed so," Joey said absently as she carried her bags into her bedroom, sat them on the bed, and began unpacking them.

"CJ and I ran into them unexpectedly last night at dinner." Jen grabbed Joey by the wrist, making her go still. "Joey, she had a ring on."

At that news, Joey's heart literally stopped beating. Or at least it felt like it had. "What?" she asked as she sunk onto the bed, her knees too weak to hold her up.

"He told me not to tell you. He wanted to tell you himself this weekend. But I couldn't let you be blindsided."

Joey brought her hands up to her face and pressed the heel of her palms into her eyes, willing herself not to lose it. "I can't believe this," escaped from her lips before she could stop herself. "What else did he say, Jen?"

"He said they just got engaged that morning and that he wasn't sure yet when the wedding would be."

Joey thought about the information Jen relayed and suddenly perked up, which earned her a look of confusion from Jen. "Of course! It makes perfect sense!" she exclaimed.

"What does?" Jen asked skeptically.

"Pacey is rich, hot, and single."

"So?"

"So, Jen," Joey explained. "Melanie is the perfect cover. A engagement to her gets everyone off his back." Suddenly, Joey jumped up, shook off her concern, and went back to unpacking. "It's a classic Pacey plan."

"I don't think so, Joey," Jen argued.

Joey stopped and turned to face her. "What else could it be, Jen? There's no other reason for him to marry her."

"What about love?"

Joey shook her head. "Pacey isn't in love with her. He can't be." _Because he's waiting for our clean slate._

"He is Joey. CJ and I spent a lot of time with them while you were gone. They can't keep their hands off each other."

"So, it's Pacey. When could he ever keep his hands off a hot girl?"

"See, this is exactly why I told you before Pacey could," Jen stated, a touch of frustration in her voice. "Because if you say any of this to him, you'll risk losing him. He loves her, Joey."

"How do you know that, Jen?"

Jen looked down and fiddled with the hem of her skirt and then brought her eyes up to Joey. "Because the only other person I've ever seen Pacey act this way with was you. The man is head-over-heels for her."

"He can't be."

"But he is. And part of the reason, I think, is because he knows she loves him for him and not his money."

Joey sank down onto her bed, clothes still in hand. _Sonofabitch._


	14. Chapter 14

None of this went down the way Pacey had expected. He had expected to give Joey the ticket to Paris and for her to live her own life for while, but he hadn't foreseen her being gone for two years. He had expected that she would realize they were on the same road and come back to him, where they would start fresh. But that didn't happen. Melanie did.

He wasn't sure when exactly he'd fallen in love with her. Pacey had cared for Mel ever since she helped him get through the worst time of his life that summer sailing on the Dean's boat. But, back then, they were as far apart as him and Joey, with Mel destined for greatness and him still circling the drain. Everything, changed, however, with Stepotech. Once he had that money, he became someone who could fit into her life. A guy she could seriously consider a future with instead of someone she slept with in secret. At first he'd kept their relationship light just in case Joey came back for him. They dated casually for over a year, but one thing lead to another and, before he knew it, she was living with him instead of in her dorm at Harvard. They fell into a real adult relationship where he did his thing and she did hers, but they always came home to each other. When he moved to Los Angeles part-time to launch the company with Todd, they stayed committed despite the distance and their hectic schedules. He was finally in a relationship where there was no drama, no angst, and, best of all, no competition. Plus, they were on equal footing. It didn't matter that his money was new and hers was old. While neither of the cared about the money, it gave them the societal green light to continue what they had started all those summers ago. But, it had been two years and it was time make decisions about the future, as their bicoastal relationship was starting to wear on them. And Pacey couldn't imagine his without her, so he proposed and she accepted. Now, he just had to tell Joey.

Pacey decided to go to the B&B to talk to her after learning from Jack that she was back. He hoped they could go for a walk so he could tell her the news. When he got there, she was sitting on the porch swing alone. She had cut her hair into a shoulder-length bob and was wearing cute little black rimmed glasses, but otherwise, Joey looked the same. She still took his breath away. "I was wondering when you'd come," she whispered when she noticed him.

"Hey, Jo. Welcome home."

"Thanks."

"So, I was wondering if we could talk? It's important," Pacey asked from the lawn at the bottom of the steps as he nervously ran a hand through his buzzed hair. He told himself that he decided to keep it that way because it made him look older and people took him more seriously, not because of her.

She got up off the swing and came to the railing. Latching onto it, she asked, "So, when's the wedding?"

He took the hand that he had run through his hair and rubbed his goatee, which he'd grown back, but kept trimmed. "Jen told you."

She nodded.

Pacey put his hands in the pocket of his jeans and fiddled with his keys. "I wanted to tell you in person, but we ran into them and she saw the ring…."

"It's okay, Pace. I'm not mad."

He let out a breath. "I'm glad, Jo. Because you're my best friend and I couldn't imagine losing you."

"So, when's the wedding?" she asked again.

"Over Labor Day weekend. Here in Capeside. Our parents asked us to have it here before we move to LA together permanently."

She rocked back and forth behind the railing. "Wow… That's fast, Pace." He heard her take a deep breath. "I thought you would have a long engagement. What's the rush?"

"We've been together for so long that there's no reason to wait. We're anxious to start our life together."

Joey tilted her head to the side and then looked at him strangely. "You really do love her, don't you?"

Of course he loved Melanie. He wouldn't have proposed otherwise. "Yeah. Why?"

"I just didn't think…" she started, but trailed off.

"That what? I could fall in love with someone besides you?" He felt himself getting aggravated and began pacing the lawn as he spoke. "It never occurred to you that I wouldn't be waiting for you and your clean slate, did it? That I would move on with my life instead of pining away for a woman I would never really be able to have?"

Joey looked down and sighed heavily. Then she let go of the railing and came down the steps, stopping directly in front of him. "No. Because I thought your heart was a fixed point, too, Pace."

"God, Joey," he ground out as he threw his hands in the air, frustrated beyond belief. "Your heart may be fixed, but your mind is constantly running in circles. All you can do is replay our history over and over and it makes you afraid to commit. And I can't - no, I won't - live like that. I have to move forward."

Joey frowned at his statement. "Away from me? From us?" she asked softly, barely above a whisper.

"One thing I've learned in business, Jo, is that when an offer is on the table, you either need to take it or leave it. And, if you leave it, don't expect it to come back to you with the the same terms."

"So what are you saying here, Pace?"

"That I'll always be in your life, Jo. But only as a friend. Our ship has literally sunk." _True Love_ was down at the bottom of the ocean, after all.

"Really?" she asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes."

When Joey grabbed his polo shirt, pulled him toward her, and kissed him, hard, he wasn't so sure in his resolve.


	15. Chapter 15

After her conversation with Jen, Joey asked to be alone. The news about Pacey's engagement had thrown her. Sure, she knew he was dating Melanie; but, she didn't realize it was that serious between them. Joey knew he cared for her, but she'd never considered it would turn into love. She thought he was biding his time, just like she was. But, as Joey thought back to the articles she'd read and the pictures she'd seen over the last two years, she was forced to face the possibility that he was marrying Melanie for love and not as a way to keep marriage-minded gold diggers at bay. And, if he was, then what did that mean for them?

Joey had spent a lot of time while she was gone working on their clean slate. It was the reason she started writing her memoir in the first place - to re-examine the past and see how she'd contributed to what happened between them. Yes, Pacey had broken her heart at prom, but Joey realized, finally, that in lying to Dawson about sleeping with Pacey, she'd broken his first. After that, it was a downward spiral they both contributed to, but neither of them could stop. As far as their redux went, that was on her. He had been honest about his feelings and the man he'd become, but she ran scared. Eddie had been safer. He didn't have the capacity to destroy her. But Pacey did. And Joey wasn't sure if she'd survive losing him again.

The news of his engagement, however, put everything into perspective. Joey had found herself in Europe, becoming stronger and more independent than ever. And that was okay because even though she wasn't with Pacey, the possibility that she could be one day was enough to sustain her. But if he married Melanie, that possibility was gone. And the joke would be on her. So, Joey resolved to fight for him. In the past, she cared too much about other people's feelings and it had cost her the only thing that ever made sense in her life. She knew Melanie would be hurt if she went after Pacey and won him back. But she honestly didn't care. For once in her life, she wasn't going to be nice just to keep the status quo.

She had been on the porch watching the stars and thinking about the decisions she'd made when Pacey finally showed up. When she saw him, her breath caught. He'd certainly grown up. In a black polo shirt and jeans, he was casual yet professional. And his buzz cut and well-trimmed goatee made him look older than he was, but also made him appear roguishly handsome. He'd kept the cut she liked best. That was a good sign.

Joey asked him about the wedding the moment he got within hearing distance. She was beyond pulling punches.

As he tried to explain away his reasoning for his impending nuptials, Joey honed in on his tells: running a hand through his hair, rubbing his goatee, and fiddling with his keys. The man was clearly thinking with his head, not his heart. If he was, he wouldn't have to work so hard to be resolute. So, she challenged him over the speed. Labor Day weekend? Really. The only reason she saw for him to rush was to make her - them - off limits. Because Pacey doesn't cheat.

He could stand here tonight and say all the right things. That he loved Melanie. That it was Joey's fault they weren't together. That their ship had sunk. That they would only ever be friends. But he was lying to her - and to himself. And there was only one thing Joey had to do to prove it. So, when he finally shut up, she pulled him to her and kissed him.

Pacey resisted the kiss at first, but Joey wouldn't let up. She tightened her grip on his shirt and pressed her body into his as she sensually assaulted his lips. Within moments, she felt his resistance melt like butter and his arms wrap around her, pulling her close. Once that happened, Joey poured all the passion she'd bottled up inside into the kiss. Passion which he clearly still felt and reciprocated by the way he was devouring her. Too soon though, they had to come up for air. And, in that split second, she sensed Pacey's mind take control over his libdo.

He took a step backward. "What the hell was that, Joey?", he asked, breathless.

She smiled a Cheshire cat smile. "It was proof that you won't be marrying Melanie Shea Thompson come September. That's what it was."


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning Joey was sitting at the table eating breakfast with her friends, including Dawson, who came over to welcome her home, when Pacey stopped by. He momentarily paused at the sight of everyone there, but recovered quickly. Joey smirked behind the coffee mug she was holding. She knew he'd be over - alone - at some point today so they could discuss The Kiss. He clearly wasn't expecting a welcoming committee, despite knowing that everyone was in town.

After warm greetings were exchanged by all, except Dawson, whose greeting was lukewarm at best, Joey got up and fixed Pacey a plate of food and coffee with tons of sugar and sat it down in front of him. He nodded in thanks before returning to the conversation.

As she sat there, Joey marveled at how good it felt to be home with the gang. She'd really missed them. When Andie, who was sitting next to Pacey, patted his head affectionately and said, "I like this cut. It's way better than those blonde tips you were sporting when we first met."

Everyone laughed and Pacey winced. "Yeah, definitely not my finest hour."

Then Jen smirked and looked at Joey. Winking, she said, "Remember when I said you had nice breasts and you thought I was hitting on you?"

That comment got everyone's attention and Joey covered her eyes for a moment. "Oh, God, yeah. That was so embarrassing."

"Well, they are very nice," Pacey blurted out and everyone got silent, looking between him and Joey to see how they should react. When Joey chuckled, the tension in the room seemed to ease, and Pacey shrugged and added, "Well, it's not like it's a secret that I've seen them."

"Speaking of body parts," Joey said as she turned to Jack, "Remember that time I was drawing you for art class and I got a little more than I bargained for?"

Jack almost choked on his cereal. "Really?" he asked, "Did you have to bring that up?" Then, wanting the spotlight off of him, he turned to Jen, "Remember that time we almost did it?"

She blushed a little at that as she squeezed CJ's hand. "It's too bad, Jack. You don't know what you missed out on." Then she turned to Pacey. "And neither do you."

He tipped his mug to her and winked. "You couldn't have handled me anyway, Lindley."

Joey and Andie both snorted at that. "What?" Pacey asked, looking between them.

"Nothing," they both said in unison, giggling as they raised their glasses to each other.

"No, it's something. I can tell. I know you both too well."

Joey started, "In vino…" and Andie finished, "...et veritas." Then they both shouted, " _Saluti!_ "

"Do share, ladies," Jen all but begged. "You can't leave me out of the loop."

Andie giggled again and then admitted, "We may have compared notes in Italy last summer."

When Pacey got a deer in the headlights look in his eyes, Joey took pity on him. "Don't worry, Pace. We were both very _nice_." She made sure to emphasize the word, a secret way for her to let him know that they hadn't criticized him.

"I believe at one point we even toasted to Miss Jacobs," Andie added, "for her excellent tutelage."

"Aww, man," Jack whined. "I can't believe I missed Ms. Jacobs."

Jen patted Jack on the arm comfortingly. "It's okay, Jack," she said as she turned toward Dawson, who, until this point had been left out of the conversation, "You were here for Eve and that's what really matters."

Dawson went crimson at that and shook his head. "Man, I couldn't write this stuff if I tried!"

With that, everyone laughed. Their little trip down Embarrassing Memory Lane over, they retreated to safer topics of conversation.


	17. Chapter 17

While Pacey hadn't expected to see everyone when he went to talk to Joey about The Kiss while Melanie was visiting with Dean Kublick, it was definitely nice. The one thing he hated about having money was that he never knew if the people around him liked him for him or for his money. With Mel and the Capeside Bunch, he didn't have to worry about that.

Dawson still hadn't completely gotten over his butt hurt over Stepotech, his movie, and Pacey's partnership with Todd; but, Pacey had set the boundaries and refused to go back on them. He would not do business with friends or family. What Dawson didn't know was that he was the one who connected Dawson's agent with the young network. If Dawson ended up with a show, it would be because of Pacey's behind-the-scenes efforts. Just because he stuck to his boundaries, didn't mean he didn't want to help his once-upon-a-time best friend become successful, too. So, as usual, Dawson's greeting was just that much less emphatic than everyone else's. But, Pacey was nothing if not used to that by now. Sometimes he wondered why he still tried.

After breakfast and that rather embarrassing trip down memory lane, Pacey visited with his friends for a while and then shared the news of his engagement and invited them to his and Mel's engagement party at the Yacht Club. No one was shocked by his news, but everyone glanced Joey's way before congratulating him. Did they all expect him to never move on with his life? Sheesh.

Once that was out of the way, he approached Joey. "Can I borrow you?"

"Why?" .

"Because we need to talk."

"But I already know about the wedding, Pace. What more is there?"

He let out a quiet growl of frustration. She was being obtuse on purpose. "You know what," he leaned in and whispered.

When he pulled away, she smiled at him and then gestured to the doorway. "Ok, lead the way."

They got a number of questioning looks from the menagerie, but Pacey told them they were going for a walk and would be back. He would rather not have pulled her out of their little group hug, but he didn't have a lot of time and needed to clear the air. Once they were far enough away from the house not to be heard, he asked, "What _was_ that last night, Joey?"

"What was what?" she asked innocently.

"You kissed me," he stated. "Why?"

At that she stopped. Joey turned toward him, catching his eye. "The question you should be asking, Pace, is why did you kiss me back?"

"It was a reflex," he supplied weakly. He knew it was a lame excuse and so did she, judging by the look of sarcasm (is there a such thing as that?) that she gave him.

Joey sighed and began walking again. "I kissed you because I want you back. And you kissed me back for the same reason."

That made him stop. He reached out and lightly grasped her upper arm to halt her, too, cursing the spark he felt. When she halted, he turned her so she was facing him. "Jo, you think you want me back, but you don't. You're just afraid of losing me from your life, which you won't, so you're overreacting."

"I'm not reacting to anything, Pacey. I'm taking action to get what I want," she said resolutely.

"I'm unavailable."

"Your head is unavailable, Pace, but your heart is already mine."

"Jo. I'm committed to Melanie. We can't be anything more than friends."

"Consider this your warning, Pace. I know Mel is a nice person who doesn't deserve to be hurt; but, I don't care anymore about hurt feelings. I want you back and I know that deep down you want to be with me. And I plan to do everything in my power to make it happen."

"And what if I don't want you to, Joey? What if I want you to let it - us - be?"

"I'm sorry, Pace, I can't do that."

"Then I guess we're at a stalemate."

"Yeah, I guess so."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. Not gonna lie. Part 2 has holes between the chapters I have written. I've been trying to fill them. Maybe you can help me? _Since Joey is going to chase after Pacey for 3 months until his wedding, what kind of angsty but romantic scenes (think near-misses, kisses/making-out, longing looks, etc...) would you like to see?_ I have the resolution to the cliffhanger and few chapters after, but there are blanks over the summer. Obviously, that creates an updating issue. Tell me in the reviews what you want to see and I may incorporate it!


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